Slitting machine



May 21, 1945, .J. vA. AYcocK v 2,400,527

SLITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 175, 1945 lllllllllllllIllllllllillllNUL l'mventor:

Jbhn el Xycock;

@7115 (Ittorneg.

@maga-C PMM-gf to prolong the Patented May 21, 11946 SLITTING MACHINE John A. Aycock, Rook Hill. S. C.,.alsixnor to Rock Hill Printing & Finlshlng Company, a corpora tion of Delaware Application December 13, 1943, serial No. 514,143 comms. (ci. 164-65) l This invention relates to machines for slitting webs of cloth, paper, other fabrics and sheet materials into narrower pieces or strips, in some oi which machines the pieces or strips as cut are usually wound or rewound simultaneously into separate rolls or bobbins, but not in all machines.

The particular type of such machines in which the present invention is more especially con cerned is the kind in which the slitting oi the material is done by what is known as score cutting or wherein a smooth, hard-surfaced, metal platen roll is used with circular cutter disks having either straight edges or pinked or scalloped edges, and maintained in peripheral rolling contact thereagainst and under substantial pressure so as to edectively slit the web of material passed between the platen roll and the opposed cutter disks.

For properly effective operation oi' such machines it is essential that the surface of the platen roll be kept continuously smooth and unmarred throughout the entire working length thereof; but, in the usual general commercial use of the machines, the platen roll surface becomes scored and grooved annular-ly to an appreciable depth, so much that the cutting action of the 'cutter disks is seriously impaired and the edges of the disks not only become dulled more rapidly but are often marred to such degree that resharpening is difficult and in some instances quite impossible. In many instances the grooving of the platen roll surface also precludes readjustment for the same or diner-ent slitting operations. This necessitates frequent replacement of the wornplaten rolls and cutter disks with new ones. Y

The required surface hardening of the platen rolls makes it impractical to rennish the onesvso marred in'use. Thus, due to the high cost of producing these rolls and impracticability oi resurfacing them, it is very expensive in replacements of the same, to say nothing of the time and labor required in making the changes, together with the loss of production on the machine incldental thereto. Preservation of the cutter disks is also an important economical matter in the operation and maintenance oi the slitting machines in proper workingY condition.

"I'he present invention has for one of its objects life of the platen roll and the cutter disks by a simple practical provision for minimizing wear on the same. To such end the invention consists primarily in imparting longitudinal movement to the platen roll during rotation of the same and across the cutter disks in contact therewith, this movement being reciprousual scoring etlect of cutter disks on the Catory and at a. relatively slow speed of travel; as compared to the speed of rotation of the platen roll itself and that of the `cutter disks so as not to disturb the lineal travel of Athe web material being cut or cause undue culling ci the cutter An illustrative but non-limiting adaptation `o the invention is set forth with particularity in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: v Y

Fig. i is a schematic view illustrating a conventional type of slitting machine to which the present invention is adaptable;

Fig. 2 is a view, also more or less schematic,

showing an application of thepresent invention to a slitting machine;

Fig. 3 is' a fragmentary view illustrative of the platen roll of a slitting machine; and,

Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrative of the smooth and unscored surface preservation Yoi the platen roll by the use' of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail and iirst more particularly to Fig. l. the numeral I0 designates the platen roll of a slitting machine of v the type, inthe operation of'which said roll I0 and a spaced-apart companion roll I i are usually positively driven by conventional means (not shown) so as to rotate in the same direction and thus function as Winder rolls Ifor rotating the reels or bobbins ljsupported thereon and into which the respective strips of material are wound as they are slitted on the machine v In the type of machinevillstrated the web of material I3 to beA slitted is taken from a supply or mill roll Il, around guide rollers I5., and thence around the platen roll I0, on which latter the web I3 is slitted and the cut strips thence wound into the 'reels or bobbins I2 as justabove described.

A series of cutter disks I6; in vnumber correv `sponding to the number of slits to be out in the web material I3, are rotatably mounted, each in a rockable support I1 which is positioned on a common supporting bar or member I8. The rockable supports Il are spring pressed to holdI the carrledcutter disks against the platen roll I0 with force sumcient to effect the cutting oi the web material passing between the platen and cutter disks. In the particular score cutting machine shown, the spring element I9 is-of the leaf type and extends 'from the outerend' of the cutter disk support I1 and bears at its outer-*end against an abutment III. For regulatingrthe tension and iorce of the spring ll! it isl provided w'lthan adagainst said abutment 20.

In the operation of the kind of machine illustrated in Fig. 1, the platen roll I is rotated positively under power and by its rotation with the slitted fabric wrapped partially therearound pulls the web of material from the supply roll I4 and disks I 6 also rotating in'xed position in contact with the platen, annular grooves 22 of substantial depth (see Fig. 3) are soon worn into the circumferential face of the platen notwithstanding the high .degree of hardness of the roll surface. This is due to the fact that the cutter disks are also hardened to'withstand the usage of the same, and that the cutter disks work under pressure against the platen sufllciently to effect the slitting of the interposed web of material. In addition to the pressure of the cutter disks I 6 against the platen roll' I0, the inherent abrasive qualities in some of the slitted web material I3 itself, causes such rapid scoring and grooving of th'e platen that the operation of the slitting machine has to be stopped frequently and a longitudinal adjustment of the platen roll III has to be made, or else an equivalent lateral adjustment is made of the cutter disks. Not only are the necessary adjustments difficultand time consuming in themselves, but the machine is out of productive service during the' time.

In accordance with the present invention without any alteration in the heretofore general structure and operation of the slitting machine' the only material change specically-is in a provision for imparting longitudinal movement of the platen roll I0 during its rotation in operation, such longitudinal movement being reciprocatory. i. e., back and forth across the cutter disks I6 that are pressed thereagainst in the regular way in the machine as heretofore constructed and operated.

l 2,400,527' justing screw 2I at its outer end which bears is cam-actuated to move the platen roll positively in the opposite direction longitudinally against the yielding forcel of the spring element 28. By

this provision, also, there is no end-play or lost motion inthe longitudinal reciprocation of the platen and no appreciable hesitation in such f movement of the platen at the end of either stroke thereof, inasmuch as the rock-arm 30 is always held in working contact with' the actuator ca m. '1

At the end of the actuator rock-arm 30 opposite to that which bears against the end of the shaft extension 2s of the platen lu, is an antifriction roller 3| which bears against;` a cam member 32 which is xed on a drive spindle 33. By rotation of the cam member 32 to move its low side from and its high side against the antifriction roller 3l, a rocking movement is imparted to the rock-arm'30 that causes longitudinal move- A practical embodiment of the present invenv,

tive idea is illustrated more or less'schematically in Fig. 2. which is a general representation of the working parts of the machine as directlycoordinated vand cooperatively concerned. In this illustration the numeral 23 designates the side frames of the machine. journalled in the side frames, as at 24, in a conventional manner so las to. be supported rotatably and at the same time be capable of moving longitudinally in its bearings. This platen roll I0 may be driven for positive rotation under power by any suitable means permitting longitudinal movement of the roll. As shown, an annularly grooved pulley 25 is xed on the shaft exten- The platen roll Il is v sion 26 of the platen roll III, the same to be driven by flexible belting (not shown) which yields'laterally suilciently to permit the longitudinal 'movement impartedto the platen roll during its rotation. 1

The platen roll I0 is normally urged longitudinally in one direction by a lever arm 21 which is pulled constantly toward the adjacent machine frame 23 by a spring element 28. By this provision the platen roll III is not only urged constantly lin one direction by the spring element 2l and lever arm 2l, but its opposite shaft extension 29 is also pressed constantly against the upper end portion of an actuator rock-arm 30, which latter tical illustration of which is indicated in Fig. 2.

ment of the platen roll IIJ in the direction against the forceoof the spring element 28 as before stated. By the -same token the spring-.pressed lever arm. 2l returns the platen roll in the opposite direction as the high side of the cam member 22 moves from and its low rside moves against said antifriction roller 3|.

The driving spindle 33 of the cam member 32 has a gear- 34 xed thereon which is driven from a driving pinion 35 through an intermediate chain of speed reduction gears which are -designated generally by the numeral 36. The drivingpinion 35 is driven by a gear v31 xed on the end of the platen roll I0, and to permit of longitudinal movement of said platen roll during its rotation and stillmaintain an inter-operating engagement between the gear 3l andpinion 35, the pinion 35 is elongated so that the gear 31 cane/slide. in intermeshed engagement therewith.

The ratio of the gearing between thepositively driven platen roll I0 and the cam-actuated means that controls the longitudinal reciprocation of the platen roll is such that the longitudinal movement ofthe platen roll is very slow as compared to the speed at which the platen roll is rotated.

In general practice and for the slitting of fabric on the average, the speed of rotation of the platen roll I0 is such that the web material I3 travels over the platen roll at an approximate speed of 1'00 yards per minute, while the eridwise travel of the platen roll is at an approximate speed of 2 inches in l5 minutes. This relative speed of rotation 'and longitudinal reciprocation of the platen roll is, of course,subject to variation-in diierent machines and different characters of material to be slitted thereon, as well as variations in the relative sizes of the platen rolls and cutter disks and the relative degrees in the hardness of these elements. y

In the longitudinal reciprocation of the platen roll I0 in accordance with the usual'general application of the present invention in slitting inachines; and especially where a wide web of material is cut into a large number of verynar-row strips, the Voperating provisionmay be for onlyv a denite length of stroke,` inches, in the reciprocation of the platen roll. Or else provided for a denite stroke atleast slightly in excess of the distance between two cutter'disks as spaced apart for the Widest strip to be cut on the machine. But, in some instances, it may be desirable to vary the length of stroke of the platen, in which case, the rock-armv 30 may have an adjustable fulcrum pivot 38, a prac- As shown, the fulcrum pivot 38 is between a block such as for example,'2 1

. arm ll and the support v screws 4I which extend able reduction in the adjustable on the roeku likewise adiustably mounted on the adjacent side frame 23 o! the machine.v A conventional means for adjusting and holding the block l! son the side frame 23, maybe as indicated in Fig. 2, wherein the elements Il and 4I are respectively mounted on through threaded bores therein and are swlveled at their ends in lugs I2 on the rock-arm 3l or the side frame 2 3, las the case may be, so as to be rotated but held against longitudinal movement, said screws having squared or otherwise suitably formed protruding end portions Il for the application of a suitable tool for rotating the screws at will. By rotating the screws 4i in their swiveled engagement in in position on the rockv particularly because or the even greater dililculty` in sharpening and resharpening of the same as compared tothe straight edged kind. Moreover, the grooves such as heretofore worn in the platen roll surface by the plnked or scalloped edge cutters are wider than the grooves caused by the laterally stationary working contact of the straight edged cutters against the platen roll.

It is still further noted that. within the purviewot the invention, the reciprocatory longitudinal movement of the platen-,roll instead ofV I being of constant definite length of stroke 'the same may be alternating in different lengths, but.

their respective supporting lugs 42, the block Il or the support Il, as the case may be, is accordingly adjusted, and by adjusting both the block 3l and the support 4l, the fulcrum pivot 3l can be changed to'several diiferent positions whereby to vary the length of longitudinal travel of the platen roll Il within certain predetermined limits of over-all movement.

By the provision for imparting longitudinal movement of the platen roll i across the stationarily located cutter disks it during rotation of said elements, not only is scoring and appreciable grooving of the platen roll prevented and thus leaving the roll smooth surfaced as shown in Fig. 4, but dulling wear on the peripheral cutting edges of the disks it is greatly minimized, thus obviating the necessity of frequent resharpening of the cutter disks and appreciably prolonging the life of the same. In prevention of undue dulling ofthe cutter disks Il a clean cut of the web material is obtained over a longer pe'' riod of time in the slitting operation and this is of substantial advantage in the easy separation, removal and winding of the strips as cut from the web. a

It is further noted that in addition to the-prevention of scoring the platen roll surface by the longitudinal reciprocation of roll in accordance with the present invention there is no apprecidlameter of the roll where such reciprocation occurs across the cutter disks.

The increase in the life of the naturally expensive platen roll is an important advantage of the present invention, to say nothing of the preservation and prolonging of the life of the cutter disks.

By the provision of the present invention wherein the longitudinal movement is imparted to the platen roll a much softer surfaced roll can be used without any grooving effect thereon. So, too, not only is less resharpening of the cutter disks required, butthe disks may be made more blunt than heretofore required and yet effect a clean cutting of the web material on the platen, thus requiring less repairing andv resharpening of the cutter disks and greatly increasing proj duction on the machine. v

The provisions of the present invention are applicable to slitting machines generally. and

' with minor (if any) modification can be applied to existing machines.

It is here further emphasized that while the speciilc illustration inthe drawings is ot a straight edged type of cutter disk, the invention is prac- -tically and effectively applicable to machines using either the straight edged or the pinked or scalloped edge type of cutter disks or wheels, of which latter there are several diiierent comof course, within the limits of a given maximum length'of stroke. which -variable movement can be attained in any conventional manner (not shown) such as for example, by accordingly varying the form of the herelnbefore described, cam element 32. So, too, substitution of means of dlilerent kinds and principles for that illustrated in the drawing for the general operation and control of the platen roll is contemplated. 'I'he invention. therefore. is not limited to the `speciilc construction and arrangement shown in the accompanying drawing.

l. In a web slitting machine, a positively-driven rotary platen roll with circular cutters pressed peripherallythereagainst to be thereby rotated and slit web materialpassing therebetween, said platen roll being journalled for rotation in its mounting with provision for itsv longitudinal movement during rotation, spring-actuated means normally 'urging said platen roll'in one longitudinal direction, cam-actuated 'means for positively moving said platen roll in the opposite longitudinal direction and against the spring force urging it in the other direction, and a speed reduction gearing between said platen roll and the cam-actuated means that moves said platen roll .longitudinally whereby said cam-actuated means is positively driven by the platen roll in rotation and longitudinal reclprocationm of the roll is at av very slow speed of travel as compared to the speed of rotation of the roll andthereby prevents scoringv and grooving of the platen roll V ing said platen roll, land means for imparting longitudinal movement to said platen roll during its rotation and thereby prevent scoring and grooving of the roll by said cutters, said means for moving the platen roll longitudinally being actuated by an interposed reduction gearing l driven directly by and from the platen roll whereby the longitudinal movement of the roll is at a slower speed of travel than the speed of rotation ofthe roll.

` 3. In a web slitting machine, a. lrotary platen roll, a score-cutting type of. slitting means in which a circular cutter member is pressed peripherally against said platen roll to ellect slitting ofthe web material passing therebetween, means for rotating said platen roll, and means for imparting a longitudinal reciprocation to said platen roll during its rotation whereby to prevent grooving `oiftheiroil Aby said cutter members, said last named means including a rotating cam elelmenha rockar'm against said cam elementfandalso against an axial extension oi said platen roll, and an opposed spring-actuated lever arm bearing against an opposite axial extensionofxsaid platen roll normally urging the roll .,lQIlgitudinally towards said rock-arm and maintaining` the latter in bearing contact with :the-adjacent axial extension oi' the platen roll and with said cam element', and driving means tinterpasedl between said cam element and said .platen .roll whereby said cam element is rotated positively and at a speed proportionate to the `speedat which said platen roll is rotated.

mi. In a webslitting machine a rotary platen rollaround which the web materialis carried to v:be slit,v said platen roll being slidably journaled for rotation, kcircular cutters pressed peripherally against andv rotating with said platen roll to slit ythe web material as it is carried around said the cuttersduring rotation and thereby sub= ylstantially, prevent grooving of said platen roll by :saidcutters Y roll,A and a cam actuated member connected with 5. In a web slitting machine, a rotary platen roll around which the web material is carried to be slit, said platen roll being slidably .iournaled for rotation. circular cutters pressed peripherally against and rotating with said platen roll to slit the web material as it is carried around saidl roll, means for rotating said platen roll, and a fulcrumed lever member associated with said platen roll and cam actuatedto impart uniform reciprocatory longitudinal movement to the platen roll across the cutters during rotation and ing therebetween, means for rotating said vplaten' roll,v and a fulcrumed lever 'member associated with-said platen roll and cam actuated to impart uniform longitudinal reciprocation to said platen roll during rotation. and means for varying the point at which said lever member is fulcrumed with respect to said platen roll to vary the reciprocating stroke imparted to said platen roll.

JOHN A. AYCOCK. 

